Category: Terrazzo in Arenas

The Geometry in Our Floors

Geometry and shapes are all around us. Terrazzo provides the opportunity to mirror these shapes on the floor beneath our feet. By using lines and curves, a floor can guide us, inspire us, or pique our imagination. Take a look at “The Geometry in our Floors” as we showcase some of the possibilities of lines and curves.

The Colors of Possibility

Terrazzo offers nearly limitless design possibilities. By customizing colors and aggregate combinations, spaces become one-of-a-kind. Whether you are looking for intricate multi-color designs, or seamless one-color designs, terrazzo offers it all. Take a look at “The Colors of Possibility” as we showcase all the colors of the rainbow.

Best of NCTA 2018

Breadth, Beauty, Versatility

Each year, the North Central Terrazzo Association gathers to discuss advances in technology, to refine industry techniques, and to build camaraderie across our association. We seek to make time-tested terrazzo techniques even better.

We also look back at the projects completed by our association members that show the breadth, beauty, and versatility of terrazzo flooring. Many of these projects are award-winning designs and installations, and they include hospitals, colleges, research centers, sports arenas, transportation hubs, and churches.

Join us as we celebrate some of the finest projects the contractors of the North Central Terrazzo Association have created.

Terrazzo Takes Flight

Gerald R. Ford International Airport, Grand Rapids, MI

A flowing terrazzo design laid the groundwork for the $45 million Gateway Transformation Project. The architects used the powerful terrazzo design, combined with lighting, to streamline the space and direct passengers through design.

The design radiates from the new consolidated security checkpoint sweeping down the corridors through the retail spaces to the departure gates. The terrazzo pattern ties together amenities, play areas, and exhibits creating a comfortable space to await your next flight. The cool color palette and ambient lighting brings calmness to this bustling transportation hub.

Not only does the pattern complement the overall project design, its durability and longevity made terrazzo a natural choice to meet demands of the high-traffic space. The flooring will maintain its radiance and integrity over time, even with heavy usage. Passengers can rush to their gates, Skycap services can ride through the halls, and airline crew can smoothly wheel their luggage to their next flight seamlessly without impact to this beautiful design.

After another record-breaking year for passenger numbers at Gerald R. Ford International airport, terrazzo strength is critical.

Terrazzo: Your imagination is the only limit on the table

Grand Victoria Casino, Elgin, IL

At the Grand Victoria Casino, the bold colors and striking terrazzo patterns make the floor buzz with energy. The eye-catching design was installed to replace the existing slate tile floor as part of a $4 million, 20th anniversary renovation.

Covering 10,000 square feet, this nine-color design brings the feeling of limitless possibility to Northern Illinois. The terrazzo pattern works with the overall contemporary interior design, complementing the updated fixtures, fresh colors on the walls, and even the sleek gold lines on the gaming tables.

The Grand Victoria Casino never closes. The installation had to be flexible to accommodate the business operations and minimize impact to the customer experience. The crew was able to complete full construction of this intricate pattern while the building was open 24/7.

Bright lights, vibrant colors, the rushing clatter of a payout, and terrazzo make this casino a place to play, dine, and be entertained.

The Crisler Center, the home of Wolverine basketball since 1967, was in need of a renovation. Less than ideal amenities, seating, and air and plumbing systems kept the aging arena from measuring up to others across the Big Ten Conference. Though upgrades were necessary, Bill Frederick, architect at TMP Architecture, said at its heart, the Crisler Center had everything it needed to dominate the paint.

According to Frederick, building upon these strong elements made the transition from outdated to upgraded much simpler than starting over. “It was a solid structure, but it was time for renewal.”

The renovations were originally slated to achieve LEED Silver certification. But Frederick said as the project developed, it became clear the building could obtain LEED gold. “We were able to do that because of a combination of reuse of materials, efficient mechanical systems and some site things relative to the fact of where the university is located,” he said. This idea of repurposing existing buildings is something Frederick said is a very natural, sustainable approach to construction.

The first phase of the project addressed the highest priority infrastructure needs and included repairs to the roof and electrical, plumbing, and air handling systems. Seating improvements were made with updates for those with disabilities. Any code-related issues were also taken care of during this phase. A new high-definition video scoreboard and a premium seating area were installed.

On an incredibly short deadline for phase two, Michielutti Bros. covered 50,600 square feet in terrazzo, including the concourse level and the lower east entryway, all in time for basketball season.

Installing terrazzo in a renewed building is the perfect fit, due to its creation from reused materials and sustainability. “It’s a pretty neat material. It holds up well and has low maintenance needs,” Frederick said.

The terrazzo not only played a role in the gold certification the building achieved, but also added the spirit of the Wolverines to the arena. The rousing U of M fight song is embedded within the terrazzo at each column – leading the spectators and players to victory.

“It’s one of those small details that is meant to be discovered, to be enjoyed and to help create a feeling about the facility and about the university. It’s there to reinforce the whole experience,” Frederick said.

With concourses that were old, dated, and constricted, the University of Michigan’s Crisler Center needed a facelift. Bill Frederick, project architect with TMP Architecture Inc., said though the structure was solid, there just wasn’t the amount of space that is found in newer arenas.

“What we wanted to do was build upon the strong elements of the existing Crisler building,” he said.

TMP’s initial target for the renovation was LEED Silver, something almost mandated by many universities today. Frederick said since obtaining LEED certification is a stringent process, architects try to work in some “cushion points.” Due to these extra points gained through the use of recycled materials, efficient mechanical systems, and the location of materials relative to the university, the project is Gold-certified.

One of the recycled materials used was terrazzo.

More than 50,000 square feet of epoxy terrazzo was installed in the concourse, for stairs from the concourse to the east side of the building and in the east entryway, all in time for basketball season.

Bursting with school pride, the university’s infamous fight song “The Victors,” can be found as water-jet solid zinc letters embedded in the terrazzo. The school’s logo appears in hallways leading to the court.

“With a little bit of maintenance, it will be looking as good 20 years from now at it does today,” Frederick said. “It was a straight-line decision to terrazzo because it had the performance history and the flexibility that we needed to address the design.”

The awards honor the best terrazzo floors from the last year. Projects are judged on the basis of:

excellence in craftsmanship

intricacy of design

scope of work

originality of ideas

artistic and faithful reproduction of architects’ or designers’ drawings

quality of construction materials

Five experts and experience designers score the projects based on photos and a description of the job, but the project’s name, location, contractor, and all other parties involved with the construction are kept secret. Once the scores are tallied, the winners are announced, and the highest score receives the honor of “Job of the Year.”

Originally built like a fortress in 1927, the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago Detroit branch building was given new purpose as a retail and office space, with flooring that will make you stop on a dime.

To rise to the glory of “The Victors,” the University of Michigan’s Crisler Center was in need of a renewal, complete with banners flying with the floors – leading “The champions of the West” to victory.

Detailed posts about each project will be posted throughout the weekend, so make sure to check back!

March Madness is well named. One out of five office workers bet on this annual college basketball extravaganza. The annual frenzy draws hundreds of thousands of fans to local basketball arenas across the country.

In some places these fans see more than just basketball. The KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, home of the University of Louisville Cardinals basketball team, opened in October of 2010. The first fans were greeted with an elegant lobby featuring terrazzo flooring.

Admittedly, most of basketball fans likely won’t notice the floor much. Especially during the March Madness finals, fans will have other things on their minds. But that anonymity, in fact, is one of the advantages of terrazzo.

Visitors to the same arenas in 2040, when the construction bonds are paid off, won’t notice the terrazzo floors either; they won’t see holes, or cracks, or a need for repairs. The floors at the KFC Yum! Center will look just as great in 30 years, or 60 years, as they do today.

Any sports arena that installs terrazzo will find that they have made an investment that holds up remarkably well under heavy foot traffic and that remains almost maintenance free for decades to come. Terrazzo flooring boasts an enduring beauty; better than any other flooring system, terrazzo lasts and lasts. Just like a good basketball program.